movistar Set To Arrive In Cape Town Today

Volvo Ocean Race 2005-2006

Cape Town, South Africa

Members of the Spanish movistar Volvo Ocean Race team are awaiting the arrival of the Volvo Open 70 today in Cape Town, South Africa. The cargo ship on which the movistar was loaded in Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain on 2 December, is set to arrive around 1600 hours local time.

In the build up to the arrival of the boat, members of the shore team have been working non-stop to put the final details to what will be the movistar base camp until it sails for Melbourne, Australia on 2 January, on the second leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-2006.

'The boat is arriving ahead of schedule, which is excellent news for the entire team,' -remarked movistar team manager Pedro CAMPOS (ESP). 'This means that we have more time to prepare the boat and for training.'

Shosholoza's Neighbours

During its stay in Cape Town, the movistar will share a berth with the South African America'S Cup team Shosholoza in the port of Victoria and Albert Waterfront. The facilities of Shosholoza have been home to the members of the movistar team ever since they arrived in South Africa, and it is a magnificent place for the Spanish team to work.

'We would like to thank the South African America Cup team for their hospitality. Working in the Shosholoza base makes things much easier for us,' confessed CAMPOS. 'Apart from the fact that we have more room than in a typical Volvo Ocean Race base, we also enjoy greater privacy and it is easier for us to concentrate on our work. Moreover, when the boat arrives, it will be right outside the office, just 30 metres from our sail locker, so it is really great for all of us.'

Another important factor in having the Shosholoza as a neighbour is their local knowledge, as movistar bowman and watch captain Pepe RIBES (ESP) points out, 'They provide us with their contacts with the local people for everything we need, which saves us a lot of time and effort. Imagine arriving in an unknown town and having to look for a shop that sells a certain kind of material; if you are with one of the locals, who also works with the same kind of materials as you do, you know that they will recommend the best place. That is the advantage we have in working next to the Shosholoza'.

The movistar shore base has been set up in Cape Town since 28 November, and the members of the shore team are already hard at work to get things ready for the boat's arrival today.

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